Heavy rainfall that submerged major roads, forced businesses to shut, and temporarily disrupted operations at the international terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Sunday has left Lagos residents on edge, with meteorological agencies warning that the city faces heightened flood risks in the coming months.
The June 28 downpour, which inundated Oshodi, Mushin, Surulere, Fashoro Street, Akowonjo Road in Egbeda, Gbagada Expressway and Idi-Oro, among other areas, occurred as federal agencies had already placed Lagos on alert for what they described as the peak flood period between July and September.
At the airport, floodwaters forced the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to suspend operations at the temporary international terminal after water reached the terminal’s powerhouse.
The disruption prompted authorities to cut electricity as a safety measure, with airlines including Air France-KLM, Ethiopian Airlines, and Fly Gabon relocated to Terminal Two.
Flooding reached knee-deep levels in parts of Gbagada, Ipaja and Surulere, disrupting movement and daily activities.
